


Raised Better

by OneSmartChicken



Series: The BAM Club [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Bad Ass Mothers, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Stony if you tilt your head and squint, The BAM Club, drabbles that only kind of stand alone, look I made a ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-21
Updated: 2014-09-21
Packaged: 2018-02-18 05:41:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2337230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneSmartChicken/pseuds/OneSmartChicken
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah Rogers and Maria Stark have a word with their boys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Raised Better

**Author's Note:**

> So I saw [this post](http://theappleppielifestyle.tumblr.com/post/98014962961/onemuseleft-darkly-stark-krusca) and things got out of hand.

Sarah Rogers and Maria Stark were two completely different women, and yet they wore the air of maternity with the same aggressive countenance. Sarah was younger in appearance, though not by much, hair a cloud of gold and eyes so blue one half expected clouds to drift across them. She was rosy-cheeked and sunny, with rough hands and a cornflower blue dress more sensible than fashionable. Maria was almost her opposite, with a tumble of black curls and eyes like pools of chocolate, her skin richly tanned and her slender curves caught in swirling burgundy satin. They were far from day and night, but the difference between "expensive trophy wife" and "simple housewife" was nearly as stark.

It could, of course, be noted that both women had their son's eyes--or, rather, the other way around. Not, of course, that they had yet been noticed. Seated elegantly outside of a family-owned cafe, they sipped tea and coffee (Sarah and Maria respectively) and watched their beloved children be the brave, wonderful, heroic men they had always known they would be. They beamed with pride, satisfied with the world, perfectly prepared to be on their ways, right up until the red-and-gold armor landed and the argument began.

As Maria was reminded of a dark-eyed child of round cheeks and curiosity holding back tears as stubbornly as a mule while she dabbed ointment onto his knuckles, Sarah was reminded simply of alcoholism and shouts.

The women stood almost in unison, drinks and pleasantry forgotten, and they stormed across the street in a clatter of heels and a sweep of skirts.

One bow-wielding stranger was so caught in biting out irritable words that he didn't even notice the threat until Maria put a hand on his arm and said in a low voice, very _pleasantly_ : "You should watch how you speak to my son." The good captain was so distracted by Maria, in turn, that he could only yelp as Sarah suddenly pinched his ear and dragged him down to her level.

"Young man, I could have sworn--no, I _know_ I raised you better than that," Sarah Rogers did not quite growl--it was far too vicious for such a quiet word. "So it stands to reason that I certainly could not have heard what I think you just said. There is no possible way my son would ever say such a thing, particularly to a _friend_. Is there?"

"Ma?" Steve squawked, but her temper was not to be assuaged by the brightness in his eyes.

"Don't you 'Ma' me, Stevie! How dare you speak to your friend that way!"

As Sarah berated her son, Maria smiled warmly at her own. "Hello, dear," she murmured, voice sweet even as Clint stared mournfully at the nails digging into his arm. He could not shake her, of course; he was far too polite a boy for that. She could almost like him, if only he would apply those manners to Tony some. "You have entirely outshone your father, haven't you? I always knew you would."

Tony, who was quite used to the oddity of his life, grinned at his mother, likely the only person who could compare him to Howard Stark and earn a genuine smile. "I miniaturized and improved the arc reactor technology," he told her, clanking over to touch her cheek with his gauntlet, leaning (only marginally) down to press a kiss to her temple. He cheerfully added, "In a cave with a box of scraps. What are you doing here, Mom?"

Maria's smile turned into a fierce frown, and she gave Clint a downright venomous look before tilting her chin towards the Rogers. "Sarah and I were having a lovely little lunch at that cafe over there--very nice place, you know, if a bit tasteless in decor--and we were just admiring you and your team when we overhead your...conversation. We could hardly leave it, of course."

Sarah was no longer speaking, merely staring in Righteous Disappointment as Steve stared shame-faced at his boots.

"Right," Tony tried, slowly, frowning at his (theoretically) fearless leader. "Uhm--why is that again?"

Maria pursed her lips and stared disapprovingly at him, clearly conveying the "you know precisely why" with expressive, angular brows. Tony just shrugged.

"We argue, it's fine, Mom," he insisted. Maria scoffed, a most unladylike sound that she somehow made elegant despite.

"That was not an argument, Tony; an argument implies that the two of you were on the same level at at least one point. _That_ was you letting someone yell at you. Honestly, I don't know why I expected you to change." She shook her head, but softened the word with a pat to his cheek. Then she twisted, snake-like, to point at Clint, causing him to actually flinch. "And you! I don't know what grudge you have against my boy, but I suggest you get over it, and quickly; he has done far more to earn your friendship than your ire. Don't you argue with me, young man, argue with yourself if you're so intent on it. Young lady," she shifted her attention to Natasha, who immediately straightened up. "You would do well to take the same advice. And you two!" She pointed two fingers at Thor (immediately alarmed) and Bruce (resigned, mostly). "You claim to be his friends, so act like it! Come along, now, Tony; tell me about your inventions." She released Clint at last in order to link her arm through Tony's, completely at ease with his armor. Leaving his faceplate up, Tony looked confounded, but allowed his mother to lead him away with only a few bewildered glances over his shoulder, never capable of arguing with the sharp-eyed woman.

Sarah watched them leave, and then poked her son in the chest, right in the middle of that silly star. "Really now, Steve," she began in a lower tone, before simply sighing, giving a disappointed shake of her head. "You are so much better than this."

Steve stared mournfully at her, as she gazed sadly up at him, both having run out of words. Sarah finally relented, reaching up to pat his cheek with a small, bittersweet smile, and my he really had grown, hadn't he?

"I love you, my darling little cherub. Apologize to your friend tonight. And send Bucky my love." She drew him down for a kiss then turned, hands on hips, to give the Avengers a collective glare. Her voice gained a no-nonsense tone promptly. "Now, you are a team, do you understand me? Act like it, or Maria and I will be back, with reinforcements." She nodded curtly, almost military, and then she was gone, nothing more than a wisp of blue and gold dust curling away through the air.

Maria stayed a few hours yet, listening to her boy talk, letting the Avengers sulk and mutter amongst themselves while Tony finally had the chance to, well, babble. He abandoned his suit so he could flounce about, and when she hugged him it was warm and entirely sweet, nothing at all bitter about it. She kissed him, messed up his hair for the first time in decades, and she was still laughing at his disgruntled expression when she left in a puff of red and gold (much to Tony's sniffling delight, although he would likely never tell a soul).

Steve and Tony managed not to provoke each other when the captain showed up that night in the lab with a plate of freshly cooked food, and then he probably embarrassed everyone (JARVIS, Steve, himself, the bots) with his moaning because god that man could cook. A fact which, as it turned out, was entirely Mrs. Rogers' fault, and which was also exceptionally, delightfully efficient in drawing Tony out of his cave regularly. Just in case they needed another reason to thank Mrs. Rogers.

And for the record, Team bonding was never quite the same after that. Namely, it involved a whole lot more bonding, and even more "team." They didn't live "happily ever after," of course, but they did one better; they lived damn well.


End file.
